Introduction

During battles, players can choose to fight or talk to the enemies by choosing the "Contact" command. Contact is an important system in Persona, because it allows you to end the battle without fighting; possibly obtain healing, items, money, or experience point; and most importantly, gather "spell card" that can be used to fuse new Personas. This section explains this contact system.

How to initiate contact

There are two ways. First, you can always actively talk to the demons by choosing "Contact" in the menu. Second, occasionally, the demons will talk to you. In that case, you may choose to pursue with the talk, or ignore it and continue with fighting. In some of the games in the Shin Megami Tensei series, demons are always in rage during the FULL MOON; however, in Persona, you may talk in any Moon Phase.

The flow of contact

Once the contact is initiated, pick the demon you wish to talk to, then pick the character who will be doing the talking. According to the result of the conversation, the demons will show a change in four emotions:

Color

Emotion

Red

Angry (怒り)

Green/Orange (PSP)

Happy (喜び)

Yellow

Eager (興味)

Blue

Scared (恐怖)

The task of the player is to use different conversation techniques to manipulate the enemies so that they will perform the desired action. It usually takes 3-4 rounds of conversation to maximize any one or two of the emotions. Once maxed, the emotion gauge will be blinking, showing the corresponding color(s). Then, these outcome will happen accordingly:

Notice that demons only give spell card to you if you have a level higher than its. Otherwise, it will only give you gifts, experience points, free healing, or money.

Matching the characters' conversation techniques and the demons' personality

Each character has a set of four conversation techniques (see below).

Character

Contacts

MC

説得する (Persuade)

挑発する (Taunt)

勧誘する (Invite)

歌う (Sing)

Maki

頼む (Plead)

おだてる (Flatter)

でまかせ (Lie)

怯えるフリ (Cringe)

Nanjo

物でつる (Bribe)

演説する (Pontificate)

一喝する (Condescend)

皮肉を言う (Sarcasm)

Mark

踊る (Dance)

挑発する (Taunt)

見つめる (Stare)

ホラを吹く (Brag)

Brown

ナンパ (Pick up)

笑わせる (Joke)

世間話 (Chat)

驚かす (Startle)

Elly

怖い話 (Horrify)

歌う (Sing)

あやす (Soothe)

勧誘する (Invite)

Ayase

けなす (Abuse)

誘惑する (Seduce)

泣き落とす (Cry)

脅す (Threaten)

Yukino

いじめる (Bully)

さとす (Persuade)

叱る (Scold)

無視する (Ignore)

Reiji

手品をする (Prestidigitate)

無視する (Ignore)

脅す (Threaten)

叫ぶ (Scream)

Each of these ways of talking can stir up at least three of the four emotions. The type of emotion that will be affected is decided by the demon's trait, which is provided when you initiate the contact process. Demons have one to a few of the following personalities:

Trait

Description

Wise (賢い)

Knowledgeable, with wisdom

Foolish (愚か)

Simplistic, over-optimistic

Joyful (陽気)

Focus on being happy

Gloomy (陰気)

Dark, manipulative

Forceful (強気)

Action-oriented, though they can just be boasting

Timid (弱気)

Coward, afraid of trouble, withdrawn

Snappish (短気)

Easily enraged

Haughty (高慢)

Insist on its own view and pace

You may experiment with all the contacts. However, since one major goal is to gather spell card from the enemies, which requires the demon to be Eager (yellow color), the table below displays some skills that are more likely to stir up the Eager of demons with different personalities:

Trait

MC

Maki

Mark

Nanjo

Brown

Elly

Ayase

Yukino

Reiji

Wise

-

-

-

Pontificate

Chat

Soothe (Males Only)

-

Scold

-

Foolish

-

Lie

-

Bribe

-

-

-

Ignore

Ignore

Joyful

Invite

-

Brag

-

Startle

-

Abuse

-

-

Gloomy

Taunt

-

-

Sarcasm

-

-

Cry (Males Only)

-

-

Forceful

Persuade

Cringe

-

-

-

-

Threaten

-

Threaten

Timid

-

-

Dance

-

Joke

Sing

Cry

-

-

Snappish

-

Plead

-

Condescend

-

Invite

-

-

-

Haughty

-

-

Taunt/Stare

-

-

Invite (Males Only)

Seduce

-

-

What to do with the spell card?

The spell cards have two functions. First, it acts as a contract between you and the demons. In future, as long as you still have the spell card with you, you can always talk to the same demon in battles and ask them to leave. They will sometimes give you gifts before leaving. Second, the spell card can be used in fusing Personas. You can only keep at most 12 spell card at a time.

Special contacts

There are many deities in Persona. Most of them have their own association in their mythological world. Part of these associations are actually reflected in the Persona game. In some occasion, special conversation will happen with some demons if any of the characters has equipped a specific Persona.

Myth-related conversation

When the demon and the equipped Persona are friends, the demon may be willing to give the party its spell card even if the party's Level is lower than the demon's. In the case of opposite Persona talk, there may still be a 1/16 chance to get a spell card if the demon is no more than 5 levels higher than the party's.

Friendly

LV

Order

Equipped Persona

Demon

5

LOVERS

Pixie (ピクシー)

Pixie (ピクシー)

7

JUDGEMENT

Nike (ニケー)

Angel (エンジェル)

10

LOVERS

Jack Frost (ジャックフロスト)

Jack Frost (ジャックフロスト)

10

LOVERS

Jack Frost (ジャックフロスト)

Pyro Jack (ジャックランタン)

20

LOVERS

Pyro Jack (ジャックランタン)

Jack Frost (ジャックフロスト)

20

LOVERS

Pyro Jack (ジャックランタン)

Pyro Jack (ジャックランタン)

21

MOON

Lilim (リリム)

Lilim (リリム)

36

JUDGEMENT

Azrael (アズラエル)

Virtue (ヴァーチャー)

40

FORTUNE

Cerberus (ケルベロス)

Orthrus (オルトロス)

50

STRENGTH

Otohime (オトヒメ)

Otohime (オトヒメ)

51

DEVIL

Loki (ロキ)

Fenrir (フェンリル)

53

MOON

Succubus (サキュバス)

Succubus (サキュバス)

57

EMPRESS

Durga (ドゥルガー)

Gdon (ドゥン)

59

HANGEDMAN

Barbatos (バルバトス)

Barbatos (バルバトス)

62

JUDGEMENT

Michael (ミカエル)

Angel (エンジェル)

62

JUDGEMENT

Michael (ミカエル)

Archangel (アークエンジェル)

62

JUDGEMENT

Michael (ミカエル)

Principality (プリンシパリティ)

62

JUDGEMENT

Michael (ミカエル)

Power (パワー)

62

JUDGEMENT

Michael (ミカエル)

Virtue (ヴァーチャー)

62

JUDGEMENT

Michael (ミカエル)

Dominion (ドミニオン)

62

JUDGEMENT

Michael (ミカエル)

Throne (ソロネ)

62

JUDGEMENT

Michael (ミカエル)

Cherub (ケルプ)

85

EMPRESS

Kali (カーリー)

Kwancha (カワンチャ)

96

CHARIOT

Shiva (シヴァ)

Ganesha (ガネーシャ)

96

CHARIOT

Shiva (シヴァ)

Kwancha (カワンチャ)

Opposite

LV

Order

Equipped Persona

Demon

12

EMPEROR

Airgetlam (アガートラーム)

Cromm Cruach (クロウ・クルーワッハ)

34

EMPEROR

Marduk (マルドゥーク)

Mushus (ムシュフシュ)

54

JUSTICE

Tyr (ティール)

Fenrir (フェンリル)

74

HIEROPHANT

Fuhedi Mergane (フヘディー・メルゲン)

Mangadhai (マンガド)

79

SUN

Garuda (ガルーダ)

Naga (ナーガ)

90

JUSTICE

Pallas Athena (パラスアテナ)

Arachne (アルケニー)

Special equipment obtained through contacts

There are some equipment that can only be obtained through contacting demons. They are not that particularly strong, but definitely is fun to collect:

Armor

Who Can Obtain and Equip

Tribes

Witch's Hat (ウィッチズハット)

Brown, Elly, Ayase

Night, Yoma, Fairy (夜魔, 妖魔, 妖精)

Angel Wing (エンジェルウィング)

Brown, Elly

Divine, Fallen (天使, 堕天使)

Dragon Helm (ドラゴンヘルム)

MC, Yukino

Snake, Drake (龍王, 邪龍)

Spinney Suit (ビッグバードスーツ)

Mark, Ayase

Flight, Raptor (妖鳥, 凶鳥)

Shishiou Gauntlet (獅子王の篭手)

Maki, Nanjo, Yukino

Beast, Wilder (魔獣, 妖獣)

Kimen Gloves (鬼面の篭手)

Nanjo, Yukino

Femme, Brute, Jirae, Jaki (鬼女, 妖鬼, 地霊, 邪鬼)

Ghost Geta (幽霊の下駄)

Maki, Brown

Haunt, Spirit, Grave (幽鬼, 悪霊, 屍鬼)

Slime Shoes (スライムシューズ)

MC, Reiji

Foul (外道)

To get these items, the average party level has to be 30 and the demon's level has to be lower than then party's. If the above condition is fulfilled, contact the demons with the corresponding person and make the demon feel either (i) Scared, or (ii) Scared and Angry. There will be about 30% (Scared) to 15% (Scared + Angry) chance that the demon will present you a gift. Once that happens, you'll have about 50% getting this special item.

Gems obtained through contacts

If the moon phase and demon fit a certain criterion, the demon may present the character some gems, which are important in adjusting the resultant Persona during fusion.

Ultra Rare Gems

Gem

Demon

Moon Phase

Chance

Alexandrite (アレキサンドライト)

Pride (アラガンス)

NEW, FULL

1/32

Diamond (ダイアモンド)

Wrath (ベリカシティ)

NEW, FULL

1/32

Rare Gems

Gem

Demon

Moon Phase

Chance

Sapphire (サファイア)

Ganesha (ガネーシャ)

NEW, 2/8, FULL

1/32

Emerald (エメラルド)

Hecatoncheires (ヘカトンケイル)

NEW, 2/8, FULL

1/32

Ruby (ルビー)

Cromm Cruach (クロウ・クルーワッハ)

NEW, 2/8, FULL

1/32

Uncommon Gems

Gem

Demon

Moon Phase

Chance

Pearl (パール)

Vetala (ヴェータラ)

NEW, 2/8, FULL

1/8

Tanzanite (タンザナイト)

Catoblepas (カトブレパス)

NEW, 2/8, FULL

1/8

Opal (オパール)

Succubus (サキュバス)

NEW, 2/8, FULL

1/8

Common Gems

Gem

Demons

Moon Phase

Chance

Amethyst (アメジスト)

Otohime, Phunbaba (オトヒメ, フンババ)

Other Moon Phases

-

Garnet (ガーネット)

Polisun, Selket (ポリスーン, セルケト)

Other Moon Phases

-

Aquamarine (アクアマリン)

Mizuchi, Ocypete (ミズチ, オキュペテー)

Other Moon Phases

-

Topaz (トパーズ)

Haokah, Scylla (ハオカー, スキュラ)

Other Moon Phases

-

Moonstone (ムーンストーン)

Wyvern, Rakshasa (ワイバーン, ラクシャーサ)

Other Moon Phases

-

Malachite (マラカイト)

Enku, Doppelganger (エンク, ドッペルゲンガー)

Other Moon Phases

-

Onyx (オニキス)

Naga, Ogre (ナーガ, オーガ)

Other Moon Phases

-

Turquoise (ターコイズ)

Rusalka, Power (ルサールカ, パワー)

Other Moon Phases

-

The ultimate prize

There are totally 142 demons that would give you spell cards. If you collect all 142 of them through formal conversation (i.e. the ones you obtained through special Persona talk do not count), something good thing will be unlocked. Click below to reveal it if you would like to know.